Outdoor Almanac

June 20, 2008

Area events South Dakota state parks will be holding several free (park entrance licenses required) special events for all ages the fourth weekend in June, including

Family Fun Days, June 27 through June 29 at Pickerel Lake Recreation Area. This weekend of fun includes a hot dog roast, games, skits and many other activities for the whole family. Pickerel Lake Recreation Area is 10 miles north of Waubay off U.S. Highway 12. Details: (605) 486-4753.

Lantern Tour of Fort Buildings, June 27, 9 p.m. at Fort Sisseton Historic State Park. Join a 45-minute tour guide in period costume and explore the grounds and buildings as you listen to stories about life at the fort. Each adult will be provided a lantern. Children age 12 and under should be accompanied by an adult. Fort Sisseton State Park is 10 miles southwest of Lake City off state Highway 10. Details: (605) 448-5474.

Dutch Oven Cook-off, June 28, 3 p.m. at picnic shelter No. 1 at Farm Island Recreation Area. Participants should bring their own Dutch ovens and cooking materials, as food will not be provided for the event. Farm Island Recreation Area is four miles east of Pierre off state Highway 34. Details: (605) 773-2885. Wildlife plans GFP wildlife biologists have written management plans for Black Hills deer and sage grouse. A 30-day public comment period on the management plans ends July 11. The plans may be accessed at sdgfp.info. Citizens who wish to provide written comments on the management plans may mail them to Game Program Administrator Tom Kirschenmann, Game, Fish and Parks Department, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 or e-mail them to wildinfo@state.sd.us. GFP graduation GFP assistant director of wildlife Emmett Keyser has graduated from the prestigious National Conservation Leadership Institute. The institute is an intensive seven-month nationwide leadership training program developed to address one of this country's most significant conservation challenges - preparing and retaining a new generation of conservation leaders. Within the next 10 years nearly one-third of the nation's natural resource leaders will retire. Keyser was one of 36 candidates chosen to participate in the 2008 class, the second of this annual training program. Candidates are selected based on their previous work experience and for their potential to build effective coalitions, lead organizational change and deliver results. June outdoors events A couple of outdoor recreation opportunities will take place in South Dakota in June, including the following events:

SDSU Bioblitz, June 28, Oak Lake Field Station near Brookings. Participate in an educational program and a scientific survey combined into one day. The objective is for scientists to count all the species of plants and animals they can find in a given area in a fixed amount of time. Come out and hike the field station grounds and see science in action. Ask biologists questions about how and why they study our local plants and animals. Presentations and displays are scheduled throughout the day. Details: (605) 367-8384.

No Child Left Inside Resource Packs, ongoing, Pierre. Want to learn more about the outdoors while you're exploring? GFP and the Rawlins Library in Pierre have teamed up to provide loaner packs full of resource materials designed for outdoor explorations. Packs include field guides, binoculars, insect nets, magnifying glasses and more. Details: Rawlins Library at (605) 773-7421) for family/individual backpacks and GFP at (605) 773-2541 for group resource trunk. Outdoors Expo South Dakota's first-ever Outdoor Expo over a weekend in May introduced more than 4,000 visitors to the wonders of the outdoors at the State Fairgrounds in Huron. “Our mission was to reach out to families and introduce them to outdoor recreation activities,” said Chuck Schlueter, communications manager for the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department, one of the organizers of the expo. “We accomplished that mission with a wealth of hands-on exhibits designed to help folks get a taste of what outdoor activities are like.” Planning has already started for the 2009 Outdoor Expo, including the possibility of moving the event to a weekend in June. HuntSAFE for women GFP will be offering a HuntSAFE course for women on July 8, 10 and 12. The course will be led by female instructors, and has been specifically designed for women and girls 11 or older. Registration has started at the GFP regional office located in Sertoma Park at The Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls. Registrations are only accepted in person and students must attend all three sessions. Details: (605) 362-2700.